The present invention relates to a reading device for reading data from virtually any non-stationary data storage means. The expression "non-stationary data storage means" in the meaning of the present invention, has to be understood in broadest sense, and may be, for example, a paper, plastic or metal sheet or virtually any other sheet material, preferably a stiff sheet material, which contains information in the form of readable characters, surface denticulations, recesses, special reflection areas or other marks, wherein these characters or marks may be detected or read optically, electrically, magnetically, capacitively or in virtually any other way. Furthermore, the non-stationary data storage means may be, for example, a magnetic, optical, magneto-optical or electro-optical storage chip which is integrated in or attached to a support for ease of handling, and which can be read either galvanically or in a non-contact way. Furthermore, the non-stationary data storage means may be a three-dimensional body serving the same purpose, for example, the shape of a rod, in particular the shape and the size of an ordinary pencil, a cuboid or a sphere.
The non-stationary data storage means can also be a credit card, an identification card or any other authorisation card containing clearly readable and/or hidden data, a savings bank deposit book comprising impressed data, or a key-type object.
Normally, to read the stored data, the non-stationary data storage means is inserted into a reading device from outside through a specially designed opening corresponding to the cross-sectional profile of the non-stationary data storage means. Thereby, the non-stationary data storage means enters into a reading area of a reading head which is compatible to read data from the non-stationary data storage means.
The reading head may be, for example, an optical image sensor, an optical, mechanical, magnetic, capacitive or electrical detector or simply a galvanic multipole connector.
The data read from the non-stationary data storage means may be converted, manipulated and/or processed in the reading device and transmitted either afterwards or immediately as read by means of a corresponding transmission line to a processing unit, preferably a computer.
Thus, reading devices in the meaning of the invention may be for example and preferably reading devices for credit cards and savings bank deposit books in automatic teller machines, reading devices for vouchers in automatic accounting devices, reading devices for identification cards in systems testing the authorisation of admittance or mechanical detectors in controlling systems, in particular in locking systems.
Consequently, reading devices in a more narrow meaning of the present invention especially are those reading devices as defined above, which are at least substantially unrestrictedly public and which are used as data input devices for at least normally unsupervised automatic devices, which are for example devices reading credit cards, savings bank deposit books or identification cards.
Those reading devices are normally the only interface between the user and the processing unit.
If the reading device and/or the transmission line is mechanically, electrically, optically or in any other way put out of operation wilfully or by any other defect, normally, the processing unit will assume that the reading device is not in use. By that systematic interpretation mistake, the operator of a system comprising such failed reading devices can suffer damage, which may be, depending upon the type of use, considerable and which possibly may not be compensated.
To avoid these disadvantages, it is one object of the present invention, to provide a reading device as described above, which indicates reliably and in a fail-safe manner any disturbance in readiness for service of the reading device and/or of the transmission line to the processing unit.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method which enables reliable and fail-safe detection of a disturbance in the readiness for service of automatic reading devices for vouchers or reading devices for non-stationary data storage means, wherein a failure of the data transmission line between the reading device and a processing unit can also be detected.